I actually planned on restraining myself from buying tons of books this month—since I am busy with projects and tests; but my brain couldn't care less, I ended up buying a lot of them. I wanted to share them with you since It has been a while since I made a 'haul' type of post.

3 | TROPICAL PARADISE LIPSTICK IN SILKY PEACH - AVON
- I decided to try peach for a change. This one gives a sheer color, (truthfully, I'm not a big fan of the color pay-off) but It was a nice bargain! The packaging is really sturdy, and it looks oh so wonderful. This will probably be my go-to summer lip color.
- Buy it here: http://www.avon.com.ph/PRSuite/tropicalparadise.page

- My friends and I went to Maginhawa for the first time. It was nice seeing a street full of things to do. All you need is your trusty feet to explore most of the area. We went into Bookay Ukay, a place where you can buy, sell or trade books. I picked out this really nice looking cover of Dracula, to make my mind at ease whenever I'm struggling to find classics.

- I saw LeeReader from Youtube review this one and I was instantly sold. I decided to pick this book up because I want something funny, and I also want to read a newer take on history. This is about Hitler coming back in 2011, managing to be a star known for his impressions as himself.

- Since I've read Assasin's Blade before, I know a couple of bits and pieces about the Throne of Glass series. Haven't started it yet because I'm still waiting for my friend. Throne of Glass follows a girl named Celaena in her adventures (and misadventures) in Endovier.

- I was complete obsessed with this shortened version! (Even though it's shortened, I still madly enjoyed it even if some of my favorite parts were cut off) I'm planning on buying the Signet Classic / the Penguin Classic edition and read it once again.

- I got nothing about this book. All I know is I came across this once before in a bookstore, hoping on buying it because it was a signed first edition. (Turns out it ended up back at me hahaha!) I learned more about the book when booksandquills did a review on this one and stated that this can be read even if I haven't read the rest of the series yet. It's a prequel so I decided to buy it for myself.

- I searched far and wide for this boxed set because it was utterly mesmerizing. I remember wanting to read classics that time and I saw this for a really good price. Ordered it, and waited for almost 2 weeks... but now I finally got it, and read The Hobbit.

11 | THE WRATH AND THE DAWN BY RENÉE AHDIEH - FULLYBOOKED

- This has been the Bane of my existence for so long. I've been seeing this a lot before but when I finally have the money to buy one, I can't find it anywhere else. I was so thankful that my friend got one for me (S/O to you, Sheen!) because I've been frantically losing my head out for this. This is a re-telling of A Thousand and One Nights—something that I'm fascinated about since before.

12 | VISITATION STREET - IVY POCHODA - NBS

- Saw this on a bargain shelf. This is only 99 pesos. I repeat, 99 pesos for a hardbound book. I read the summary and I think this will be not that bad of a read.

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That is all for my length-y post. I'm happy for myself for sticking up with a post every single week. It has been tough; but so far, its all right.

Since it has been a while since I made a post full of favorites. So I figured to do this. Welcome to Product Empties #1 :)

I was definitely in love with the musky scent that this gives off. It plays a little bit of haphazardness to its (kind-of) sweet scent. This bottle has been with me for years now, and I have finally finished it. Speaking of the bottle, the packaging on this one is freaking gorgeous and it's relatively cheap too. The only con to this one is that the scent never really lasted for a huge amount of time. If you want the smell to keep on going, you gotta spritz it a couple times a day.

My hair savior. Batiste is the first dry shampoo I've ever tried and I was a hundred percent sure that it was the best on the market. The scent is kind of citrus-y and leaves a white cast after spraying it too your roots. The cast was fine, it didn't look as if you have dandruff all over your hair. It was not cheap when it comes to pricing though. I think I bought it for 700 pesos from Beauty Teeps but there are cheaper options on the market. I'm going to try the cheaper options for the coming months. I'm going to find other brands that are not that hard to find in the country; take the availability off the criteria, then we'll have the best dry shampoo, ever.

A perfume stick is a traveler's best friend. I think I bought this one way back on our trip to Singapore a couple of years back. I don't want to bring tons of liquids—traveling by plane taught me that. Can we just talk about how cute this is? and the line even comes in different forms, too. A variety of personalities to match yours.

My best friend since the 7th grade. I call this one "Percy Jackson" (please tell me you get the joke :c ) and I would probably buy tons of these after I finish my other VS body spray. I got nothing else to say anymore. hahaha

Probably my second loved hand cream ever. It would be the first if it weren't for the bulky packaging... but that is what makes it unique. Etude House has different kinds of scents to choose from and every single product is housed on different kinds of animals. If you haven't tried anything from Etude House yet, make sure to pick one up on your next visit. :)

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That is it for today's post. I hope you liked this really simple blog post. It's a fresh way of showing off your favorites. If you have a post like this one, leave a link below! I wanna check it out. :) Thank you for reading and I'll see you next time!

PS. If you want to be featured on my future Q&A post, (or video) feel free to ask me questions here.

Since Valentine's Day is tomorrow, (and of course, why would I have a valentine? hahaha lol) All I plan to do is just pamper up, and read some YA books that would probably make me giddy from morning 'till night.

So I chose 4 books that I haven't read yet so, I'm going to add my impressions about it to make this post a tad bit more interesting. I think that it will be a little cool for us to read the same things this February that's why I aimed to post this one out.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

Benjamin Alire Sáenz

The book tells a story about two guys named Aristotle (An angry teen who has a brother in prison) and Dante (A person who looks at the world unusually) have crossed paths at a swimming pool and they realized that their friendship isn't something normal... it's a type that changes their life.

Impression / Expectations:

I think that this book is romantic in a way. It feels great to read a bit more of contemporary reads in my life because I never really gravitate towards that type of genre most of the times. I think that I will learn tons of life lessons on this one. I might annotate this one.( Ohhhh! I want to!)

Lola and the Boy Next Door

Stephanie Perkins

Lola is a budding costume designer and is having the time of her life with her really hot rocker boyfriend... until the Bell twins came back. One of the twins finds a way to revive what has happened between him and Lola in the past. Will she fall for him once again?

Impression / Expectations:

Stephanie Perkins. The goddess of romantic contemporary reads. I loved Anna and the French Kiss so I really have a high expectation for this one. It's exciting to see a character which has her stepped out from the shadows to be someone bubbly(?) and creative. A type whom you'll never forget. All I hope is that this will make me giggle as much as AATFK. That's all.

Twilight

Stephenie Meyer

All Bella knows is that this guy is a vampire. That a dominant part of him wanted to feed on her blood and third, she knows that she is unconditionally in love with him.

Impression / Expectations:

I have read almost half-way through this when the movie first came out. I was so stoked for this one but my love for reading isn't really working properly so It felt as if tackling The Order of The Phoenix. I'm planning on reading this one because it has opened me up into buying more books when I was younger and I definitely fell in love with the characters in the movie, that's why I felt like i would really enjoy this one if I gave it another shot.

Confessions of A Shopaholic

Sophie Kinsella

Rebecca Bloomwood works for a savings magazine, (which bores the living day lights out of her all the time) but she has this weakness for shopping. A bank has been reaching her for several times now, trying to get her attention to her card bills and overdoes... but a thing happened that will transform her life forever.

Impression / Expectations:

I bought this when I was traveling towards Mactan, Cebu, with the hopes of finishing a book as a way to relax me and get my mind out of swimming. I really expect a lot from this one since I have watched the film and fell in love with it. I want to know if my old thoughts about COAS is still the same as now.

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These are some of the books that I'll be reading this month. I hope that you guys enjoyed this post even if its simple. If you want to ask me questions, leave them here. You might be on my next video or post :)

If you're spending time alone on Valentine's (or with a friend) try to check out these products that aims to guide you into a day of reward! :)

FOR THE HAIR + NAILS

| Nourishing Coconut Milk Anti-Breakage Serum - OGX (S&R)

Since the parties that got you going since Christmas day just generally took the life out of your hair by styling it more than you need to. Try to pick up a serum that works for your hair and repair it. Your crowning glory needs a little bit of help every once in a while.

A pink nail polish never really picks anyone in specific. A lively pink would eventually cheer you up on Valentine's and if you want something a little bit more interesting than normal nail polish, try BOBBIE's Kaleidoscope Polish. It changes hues because of the current temperature that your nails are in. Try dipping it on warm or cool water to see magic happen. You can also go out with your friends since Valentine's day is a Sunday, go out to a nail salon to get your nail game on!

FOR THE BODY

| Un Amour de Patou by Jean Patou

It's so weird to see that I have never talked about this on my blog whatsoever. This soap is the best thing ever. It moisturizes your skin and leaves it feeling soft and supple. Not that it has those youthful powers, it also leaves a scent that everyone will compliment you on.

| Hand & Body Lotion with Vitamin E - Myra (Watsons)

I haven't tried this product out yet but I was fascinated by the Myra brand because not only that they sell their products in a reasonable price, but because they manage to add in vitamin E, something that all of us needs especially when we're aging up. It makes the skin youthful and glow from within. I also like the scent of this one, too. I'm going to let you know my mini-review for this one in the upcoming month. just to see if it changed anything. :)

This thing is my weekly savior. It saves my face from dry skin. It leaves it feeling clean and moisturized and it smells great!

| Mask Sheets - Nature Republic

Even if these mask sheets are made out of different ingredients, these geniuses from Nature republic never broke me out and it does what it promises. My favorite is the orange mask sheet. It brightens your skin without being harsh.

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I hope that this post gave you an idea on how to spend your Valentine's day with generating your beauty routine. Thanks for reading, everyone! I'll see you on the next post :)

There are days when I feel like I just needed a break from the world. Have you felt like that before?... I bet you do. Here are ways to detoxify your life. :) I mostly do most of the things monthly or in every two weeks and I swear, this gets be back on track.

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1. CLEAN YOUR WORKSPACE / ROOM

I feel like this thing is kind of vital to your life. You should clean the place where you work in to get your mind clear from other distractions. Just simply cleaning your space will make you get more creative, inspired and feel productive!

2. DELETE UNNECESSARY PHOTOS / FILES FROM YOUR PHONE / COMPUTER

I can't stand having a lot of photos on my phone and It also became a pet peeve of mine recently. I have nightmares of not having enough storage space in any of my gadgets since before and I already went through that phase before on my previous phones and laptops... and it stressed the heck out of me. Imagine not having enough space for your precious videos and audio files in the future. Your gadget will slow down, one gigabit at a time.

Did I scared you already? Hahaha lol! I feel like keeping some files of the best memories (and necessary ones) will just do good. If you really want to save the others? Get a hard drive. Seeing your desktop clean and organized will make your inner 'neat freak' at peace.

3. TRY TEATOX / DETOX WATER

It might be a weird tasting transition for everyone who tries detox water or tea. Detox water is just simply H2O with a bit of kick from infused fruits and veggies while teatox... is, pretty explanatory hehe :). Both of them detoxify/cleanses your body and based on the ingredients that they are made of, they can do multiple benefits all at once. My personal favorites are the metabolism boosting ones. Check out some teatox and detox water recipes here!

4. DO SOMETHING THAT MAKES YOU HAPPY

This is the most important one for me. Always, always prioritize your happiness. Enjoy your 'Me Time' by doing things that you enjoy. Did you know that there are scientifically proven facts that benefit you by staying happy? For example, people who have a healthy, happy mood tends to successfully manage diseases, have lower heart rate, lower levels of stress hormones, lowers the risk of heart disease and a lot more!

5. TAKE A WALK

It's a way to kind of reminisce and reflect your actions. You can clear your mind through this if you are currently in the midst of trouble and talking a walk can make you appreciate the things around you more than you used to.

6. GET MOTIVATED

How can you do things without being motivated? Stop by pinterest or google then search for a quote that truly defines your goal in life. I swear to you, a simple phrase can change everything.

7. PAMPER YOURSELF

Reward yourself every once in a while. You deserve it! :)

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All of these things are tried and tested by me and it works awfully well. I hope that you enjoyed this simple blog post and I also am hoping, that this helped you out a little bit. :)

If you want to ask me questions for a future Q&A post, (or video!) feel free to send your questions here. Thank you so much for reading, and I'll see you on the next post!

Hi, I'm ARA

About

Hello!

My name is Aracelli Cesista and I run Arapostrophe. This blog is dedicated to my life where I share stories, videos, snaps and a whole lot more. I'm a current college student and I take pictures all the time and write—a lot. I make screenplays, short stories and manuscripts. I'm a fashion and makeup enthusiast and I also sketch and paint during my free time.